Even as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the ongoing truckers’ strike in Ottawa was “now becoming illegal”, law enforcement authorities have not ruled out any option including calling in the armed forces.
Truckers continued to lay siege to Canada’s capital on Wednesday and showed no signs of leaving. In a statement, organisers of the Freedom Convoy 2022 said they “plan to remain in Ottawa ‘for as long as it takes’ for governments across Canada to end all mandates associated with Covid 19”.
However, Trudeau once again launched an attack on the protesters, as he told the House of Commons in French that his government was working with law enforcement agencies to “ensure that this protest, which is now becoming illegal, does come to an end”, according to the outlet Global News.
Meanwhile, Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly held a virtual briefing on the strike with Ottawa city councillors, and said, “I am increasingly concerned there is no policing solution to this,” according to the outlet CBC News.
“We’re looking at every single option, including military aid to civil power,” he added.
Organisers of the protest said they understood the angst of residents of Ottawa who have had to endure gridlock and other inconveniences since Friday when the trucks started arriving in the city.
In a statement, senior convoy leader Chris Barber said the “responsibility” for that situation lay “squarely on the shoulders of politicians who prefer to vilify and call us names rather than engage in respectful, serious dialogue”.
Trudeau, who called for dialogue in December when the agitation against farm laws started in India, has been adamant that he will not talk to protesters’ representatives.
The protestors are seeking an end of mandates related to Covid-19 vaccination, as well as lockdown and the requirement for vaccine passports.
“Organisers have been particularly dismayed by the extreme and divisive rhetoric used by politicians – especiallyJustin Trudeau – who have characterised protesters as racists, and even terrorists,” the convoy’s press statement asserted.
The movement has raised over 10mn Canadian dollars ($7.8mn) so far, but the online fundraising site GoFundMe has placed that on hold as it reviews how they will be utilised.
